These are the most common methods for recovering Sandisk's Sansa Mp3 Players. I have been almost universally successful in recovering Sansa players using one or a combination of these methods. These methods do not work if you are having synchronization or music format issues - they are for recovering a player that will not power up, freezes, flashes, is not recognized by the computer, and a host of other issues.

Reset the Sansa Player first.On most models, restart is done by holding the power button in for 15 seconds or longer.Check your specific manual to be sure. The manuals are available from the Sansa website if they have been misplaced.Download the Sansa Recovery Tool from the Sansa website.Format - Erases Everything: Connect your Sansa player to the computer and open Windows Media Player. Click on the Sync tab. Pull down the drop down menu underneath the Sync tab by moving your cursor over the Sync tab and left clicking on the little black arrow underneath the Sync tab. Highlight "Sansa 1GB" (wording may vary slightly), and then select "Format." - this should erase everything.Firmware Upgrade- Erases Everything: Get the latest firmware upgrade from Sansa - it updates the firmware and erases every song in the player all at once. Note: this method doesn't work if already have the latest firmware. Go to this website and click "Firmware Updater" to find out: http://www.sandisk.com/DriverDownload/driverList.aspIf these fail, then:Try this: disconnect the player from the computer, turn it off, hold in the volume + button, and reconnect the player to the computer while holding the volume + button in. Keep holding the volume + button for an additional 5-50 seconds. Windows should eventually go into recovery mode and revive the player- it will pop up a window that says Found New Hardware Wizard.If you get the problem where MTP Device keeps popping up continuously, uninstall the “MTP Device” by going to Start à Control Panel àSystem à Hardware à Device Manager (you computer may vary slightly, depending on Windows Version).You may have to restart your computer after each of these methods to get them to work properly. Disconnect your Sansa player BEFORE shutting down your computer.-Tha Mp3 Doctor

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You must disconnect and update your Windows Media Player to Number 11. My reinstall left me at WMP 9 and it wouldn't recognise my Clip. Go to the Windows website, follow the download instructions, and you should be fine. When you plug in the Sansa Clip or MP3, it should recognise it right away. Hope this helps!

These are the most common methods for recovering Sandisk's Sansa Mp3 Players. I have been almost universally successful in recovering Sansa players using one or a combination of these methods. These methods do not work if you are having synchronization or music format issues - they are for recovering a player that will not power up, freezes, flashes, is not recognized by the computer, and a host of other issues.

Reset the Sansa Player first.On most models, restart is done by holding the power button in for 15 seconds or longer.Check your specific manual to be sure. The manuals are available from the Sansa website if they have been misplaced.Download the Sansa Recovery Tool from the Sansa website.Format - Erases Everything: Connect your Sansa player to the computer and open Windows Media Player. Click on the Sync tab. Pull down the drop down menu underneath the Sync tab by moving your cursor over the Sync tab and left clicking on the little black arrow underneath the Sync tab. Highlight "Sansa 1GB" (wording may vary slightly), and then select "Format." - this should erase everything.Firmware Upgrade- Erases Everything: Get the latest firmware upgrade from Sansa - it updates the firmware and erases every song in the player all at once. Note: this method doesn't work if already have the latest firmware. Go to this website and click "Firmware Updater" to find out: http://www.sandisk.com/DriverDownload/driverList.aspIf these fail, then:Try this: disconnect the player from the computer, turn it off, hold in the volume + button, and reconnect the player to the computer while holding the volume + button in. Keep holding the volume + button for an additional 5-50 seconds. Windows should eventually go into recovery mode and revive the player- it will pop up a window that says Found New Hardware Wizard.If you get the problem where MTP Device keeps popping up continuously, uninstall the “MTP Device” by going to Start à Control Panel àSystem à Hardware à Device Manager (you computer may vary slightly, depending on Windows Version).You may have to restart your computer after each of these methods to get them to work properly. Disconnect your Sansa player BEFORE shutting down your computer.-Tha Mp3 Doctor

Substitute REC for volume + in the following instructions:
These are the most common methods for recovering Sandisk's Sansa Mp3 Players. I have been almost universally successful in recovering Sansa players using one or a combination of these methods. These methods do not work if you are having synchronization or music format issues - they are for recovering a player that will not power up, freezes, flashes, is not recognized by the computer, and a host of other issues.

Reset the Sansa Player first.On most models, restart is done by holding the power button in for 15 seconds or longer.Check your specific manual to be sure. The manuals are available from the Sansa website if they have been misplaced.Download the Sansa Recovery Tool from the Sansa website.Format - Erases Everything: Connect your Sansa player to the computer and open Windows Media Player. Click on the Sync tab. Pull down the drop down menu underneath the Sync tab by moving your cursor over the Sync tab and left clicking on the little black arrow underneath the Sync tab. Highlight "Sansa 1GB" (wording may vary slightly), and then select "Format." - this should erase everything.Firmware Upgrade- Erases Everything: Get the latest firmware upgrade from Sansa - it updates the firmware and erases every song in the player all at once. Note: this method doesn't work if already have the latest firmware. Go to this website and click "Firmware Updater" to find out: http://www.sandisk.com/DriverDownload/driverList.aspIf these fail, then:Try this: disconnect the player from the computer, turn it off, hold in the volume + button, and reconnect the player to the computer while holding the volume + button in. Keep holding the volume + button for an additional 5-50 seconds. Windows should eventually go into recovery mode and revive the player- it will pop up a window that says Found New Hardware Wizard.If you get the problem where MTP Device keeps popping up continuously, uninstall the “MTP Device” by going to Start à Control Panel àSystem à Hardware à Device Manager (you computer may vary slightly, depending on Windows Version).You may have to restart your computer after each of these methods to get them to work properly. Disconnect your Sansa player BEFORE shutting down your computer.-Tha Mp3 Doctor

you have to hold down the power button for 13 whole seconds. I have had the same thing happen to mine and I dont know if there is a permanent way of fixing it but that should turn it off so you can turn it on again.

I will recommend you to get a firmware upgrade for the device...if that doesnt do it, you will need to contact the manufacturer so they have RMA the device,usually update the firmware solve the problems you are having...

After leaving it on all night and running the battery down I plugged it back in, it charged and everything is working fine. The morale of this story is, don't unplug it from the computer while it is in use.